Combined roll-shutter and life-saving ladder.



J. HENGSTLER. COMBINED ROLL SHUTTER AND LIFESAVING LADDER.

APPLICATION r'mm Jun: 8, 1908..

905,529. Patented Dec. 1, 1908,

JOHANNES HENGSTLER, OF ALDINGEN, GERMANY.

COMBINED ROLL-SHTJ'TTER AND LIFE-SAVIN G LADDER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 1, 1908.

AppIication filed June 8, 1908. Serial No. 437,317.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J OHANNES I-IENGSTLER, a citizen of the GermanEmpire, residing at Aldingen, in the Kingdom of Wiirtemberg, Empire ofGermany, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in a OombinedRoll-Shutter and Life-Saving Ladder; and I do hereby declare thefollowing to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention,such as will enable others skilled inthe art to which it appertains tomake and use the same.

This invention has for its object a roll shutter which may also be usedas a life saving ladder in case of need.

The essential feature of the invention consists in the roll shutterbeing adapted to be extended for instance in the case'of an outbreak offire, the laths or bars, which usually lie closely together in rollshutters, being separated in such a way that they form a ladder afterthe manner of rope ladders. For this object the bars are connected withone another by means of connections of suitable length which are adaptedto be folded or doubled up and when the roll shutter is used in theordinary way to fit into the bars, so that they are then not visible.These links are also connected with one another in such a way that whenthe roll shutter is wound up they are able to adapt themselves to thecurve. If now the roll shutter is to be used as a ladder it is merelynecessary to release the fastening which holds the laths or barstogether, whereupon they can be let down and thus form a ladder.

The object of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawings in oneform of construction in which Figure 1 shows the roll shutter closed;Fig. 2 is a side view of the same; Fig. 3, a similar view showing theuse of the roll shutter as a life saving ladder; Figs. 4 and 5 areenlarged views of a portion of the same and show in front and side viewthe connection of the laths or bars; while Fig. 6 is an end View of amechanism for fastening the laths or bars.

The roll shutter consists in the ordinary way of laths or bars a whichfit closely to one another (Figs. 1 and 2) in the ordinary use of theroll shutter as means for closing a window. Now by the present inventionthese bars a are connected with one another by links I) which are ofsuch a length that the bars a, when the roll shutter is employed as alife saving ladder, separate to a suitable distance from one another.The links I) are retained somewhat flexibly on pieces 6 of the bars aand are connected with one another by hinges 0 which allow them to befolded inwards (as shown in Fig. 4 in dotted lines) and also allow themto move aside laterally as is necessary when winding up the rollshutter. When the roll shutter is employed in the ordinary Way theselinks 6 lie in recesses f of the bars a, so that the latter fit closelytogether. For letting down and Winding up the bars a employed as asafety ladder, cords d are also provided which are connected with thelowermost bar which then collects all the bars when drawn or wound up,the links 6 foldin' inwards, which result may be attained for lnstanceif the arrangement is adopted whereby these joints or links I) cannotcome into an entirely extended position (Fig. 4). The rollshutter assuch and also as a life saving ladder, in order to facilitate itshandling, may be arranged to extend from the window frame by means ofstruts or stays Z. Usually these bars a lie in the ordinary manner inbars 9 which are open below but normally closed by an attachment h, inorder'to prevent any premature protrusion of the bars a. This attachmentit may be attached for instance to a pivotal lever i or the like, whichis provided with a projection 70 which latter by reason of thespringiness of the lever z engages, in the fastening position, in asuitable recess of the bar (Fig. 6). Now if the roll shutter is to beused as a safety ladder, the bar 9 must be released below by turning thelever 2' (Fig. 6 in dotted lines), whereupon the cords d are let down,so that the bars a escape and hang downwards like a ladder.

Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my saidinvention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare thatwhat I claim is 1. A flexible shutter mounted to be rolled up, andhaving bars adapted to be displaced turned over laterally after themanner of a to certain distances When used as a safety hinge. 10 ladder.In testimony whereof I afliX my signature,

2. A flexible shutter mounted to be rolled in presence of two Witnesses.5 up, and having bars adapted to be displaced J OHANNES HENGSTLER.

to certain distances When used as a safety Witnesses: ladder, said barsbeing united by links or JEAN GULDEN,

joints adapted to fold inwardly and be HERM. HOPPE.

